Flames
by neebuns
Summary: Lucy Heartfilia was a hired assassin who was known for being the best in the business. That is, until one of her missions take a drastic turn upside down. Because of the sins she committed, she has to spend an eternity an hell. But when the King of the Underworld becomes interested in her, hell doesn't seem.. so bad.
1. Ignite

**Author's Note: **Ah, here it finally is! My first NaLu fanfic. I'm actually really excited about this one. After reading the latest chapters of the manga (and joining the FT fandom on tumblr) I couldn't help but write a fanfic for this lovely couple. The inspiration for this is from an old fanfic I read three years ago. So, after my 9 month long hiatus, a _way _better and (somewhat?) improved writing style than my previous works. There will also be more FT pairings later on. Thank you and enjoy! ~

* * *

**_Flames_**

_Chapter 1: Ignite_

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You know, when they say life is too precious to let it go to waste, they really mean it.

I, on the other hand, couldn't agree more. But here I was, twenty-four years old in the making, and my job was to end the lives of others. A professional killer, if you will. Yeah, you heard me right. A _killer._

Well actually, let me clarify that statement. No, I'm not some kind of wacko serial killer like you see in those dumb horror movies. I'm a hired assassin. Here at the agency I work for or, "The Guild", as we call it, I'm known for being the top of the line. And tonight, I was assigned to a high-ranking clientele. And a rich one at that. But of course, this wasn't a normal hit-and-run assignment, no. I was assigned to kill the man at top of everyone's hit list, Sting Eucliffe.

The job's description was not my preferred way of doing things, but I needed the money. Working as a waitress wasn't cutting the bills, _or _my mother's hospital bills. And the only way to get close to him and past his army of bodyguards was through his private sessions at the strip clubs he regularly attended. So, today I was going to play the part of a personal prostitute.

_Ugh. _Just hearing that word makes me cringe. It would mean I would have to turn on my sex appeal. And well, you know, I have no problem doing that. It wasn't like I didn't have confidence in my looks. I was just always annoyed with the opposite sex. Greasy, women-hungry, and arrogant. Especially the men I was hired to kill. It gave me little bit of satisfaction from ending their slimy lives.

I looked in the mirror and grimaced. The black lace lingerie I had put on did little to cover any parts of my body. If anything, I felt even more disgusted and just wanted to get the job done faster. I shook my head. Now was not the time to be sulking, I had to get this job done quick and clean if I wanted to get my thirty-thousand dollar reward. I reached down to my thigh high black-heeled stiletto boots and made sure the gun I had placed was secure and hidden. One shot to the idiot's head was all I needed to finish the job. But how long would I have to put on a show for him until I was given the chance to make my move?

I stopped and checked my earpiece to make sure it was working, "Jellal-kun, do you hear me?" I whispered as I exited my dressing room, making my way down to my "client's" private room.

"Yeah, I hear you. Be careful out there, Lucy," my partner and childhood friend replied. He would be my backup just in case something went wrong.

"Don't worry. Quick and easy as I always say," I reassured him. "Alright, I'm going in." I took a deep breath before opening the private room's door. A man with spikey golden blonde turned towards me. His eyes were gleaming with unspeakable lust. Although, what I didn't notice then was a certain glint in his eyes of what was yet to come. Sting began to walk towards me like a hunter stalking his prey, all filled with desire and lust.

"Wow," he commented. "You are _far more _extravagant than the last few women they sent me before." Last few? Oh god, just those words made me feel disgusted. This man was the exact definition of what I despised. He wrapped his arms around my waist as he rested his hands on my butt, trying to bring me closer to his lower regions.

"Why don't we take this to the bed, shall we?" I smiled back at him in the most sexiest manner I could possibly muster. Taking his hand off my butt, thank the lord, I led him to the luxurious bed. He placed me in the center and then climbed on top of me. Sting then feverishly crashed his lips onto mine so roughly I could barely breathe. As soon as I was about to entwine my hands in his hair, he grabbed it with such speed I could barely process what was happening.

_Snap. Click._

I heard a sudden chuckle and I could feel my heart beginning to pound. My eyes widened from pure shock. I tried moving my hands but I found them handcuffed to the bed. Sting removed his lips from mine as he stared into my eyes proudly. His face read malicious dominance. He shook his head in disappointment.

"Tsk tsk. You look surprised, my dear. As if I didn't know why you were really here," he smirked. "And quite frankly, I know it wasn't for a good fuck."

Oh shit. This wasn't apart of the plan.

"Lucy? What's going on?!" I heard someone scream through my earpiece. Oh, my earpiece! That's right, Jellal was still on the other side. If I could jus-

Sting lowered his lips to my ears and whispered, "Uh-uh, not so fast, sweetheart." He took out my earpiece and crushed it with his bare hands. Ah damn, he knew everything.

"Let's not be so rash here, hmm?" His voice became low and husky as he began to roam his hands all over my body. I wasn't as scared as I should have been. I mean, this wasn't the first time a guy tried to come on to me. I was a professional, I was trained to get out situations like these. All I had to do was somehow hit him in the crotch and knock him out; then I could get out of these god forsaken clothes.

As I felt his hands getting lower and lower, I thought he was going to stop at _that _region but instead he went for my boots. He gently pulled down the zipper and revealed my gun. _Damnit, this bastard._

He pulled out the gun and came back up face to face with me, "Now that all your toys are out of the way, why don't we have some fun?" He deliriously smiled before ripping off what little fabric was covering my breasts.

"You are disgusting."

He ignored my comment as he eyed my bare chest. "Quite a looker, gotta give that to you. You have glorious mounds." he licked his lips before lowering his head.

I felt no pleasure at all coming from this. It was more like that feeling you get in your stomach before you want to puke. So much for wanting to put on my clothes again before things got too far. I winced as he bit one of my nipples. This was purely disgusting.

"Couldn't you just kill me already? I would rather die than be with a pig like you," I sneered at him.

"I do enjoy them feisty. Alright then. If you want it fast, we'll go fast." He lifted his lips from my breasts and stood up. Just as I felt the slightest bit of relieve from having his horrendous body off of mine I saw him start undress.

Sting's boxers dropped to the floor. I guess you could say I saw this coming the moment he ripped off my bra, but I never really knew what real fear from being violated felt like until I landed in this current predicament. His hands were playing with the hem of my panties. I twisted my hands anxiously out of the handcuffs but with no luck. I was an assassin for Christ's sake. I've been able to slip my hands out of handcuffs before. But to do that I needed more time than given.

"There's no point in struggling anymore. This will be over before you know it." And with that, the sound of my panties ripping apart filled the room. I braced myself for what was going to come next.

"Why are you doing this?" I said with fear lingering in my voice.

He smiled, "Why?" He laughed a villainous laugh so gaudy it only made me cringe even more than I already was. "Because if I'm going to kill you, I want to see you in all your pity and naked glory. Then, I will kill you. I mean who wouldn't let this gorgeous body go to waste?"

He went back to fondling my breasts and bent down to kiss me. I didn't react to any of his antics at all. At the very least, I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of me moaning. I spit on him and kneed him in the groin, hoping to just making him angry enough so that he could just kill me. Anything was better than feeling his disgusting body on mine.

"Very well, if that's how you want it," he growled and spread my legs open and before I could even blink he pushed himself inside of me. I groaned at the pain. I wasn't use to having someone enter me so roughly and it hurt like a bitch. I clenched my teeth together and my eyes met his damned violet ones. They were full of victory. This was his plan from the get-go. Even if I did put a little dent in it, he had still finished his goal in the end.

"Ahh," He collapsed from coming for the fourth time in a row. "That was amazing. Your body was amazing. Thank you for your time, my lovely whore." He kissed my cheek one last time before he reached for the nightstand.

A knife? Where the hell did that come from?

"Now.. how should I kill you?" He lightly dragged the knife against the spot in between my breasts. "I could just make it seem like you committed suicide, hm?" My eyes widened as he brought the knife to my wrists. "Perfect. The fear in your eyes. That look suits your last few moments." The knife dug into my wrists. I screamed at the unbearable pain. He slashed my wrists quickly and I watched as the blood gushed from them.

All too soon, they began to bleed more and more. My thoughts became hazy. "You are a worthless bastard. I hope you rot in hell the day you die your pitiful death," I struggled to scowl, cursing him to my death.

"Last time I checked, you were the one dying here," he chuckled. "Quite a waste of your last breath, if you ask me. See you in hell, Lucy," he mocked as his laughs grew louder.

Suddenly, my conscious gave in as the world became dark with Sting's laughter fading away. I had finally died.


	2. Blazing

**Author's Note:** I apologize for the long wait! I'm such a slow writer.. Thank you for your reviews, favs, and follows! It all made me really happy and it motivates me to write faster, so keep it up! Who would have known writing character descriptions, _with characters that have the same hair color and eye color, _would be so hard?! Also, I got rid of honorifics. They seemed to be out of place in an english-written story. But anyways, enjoy the chap!

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Mashima. His soul (and Fairy Tail) belong to Kodansha.

(Oh, much thanks to my beta, b-lushies! She is amazing and I think I make her go through hell with all my grammar mistakes..)

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_**Flames**_

_Chapter 2: Blazing_

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When I opened my eyes, I found myself in a spacious and empty all-black room. I sat up instantly and scanned my surroundings. Nothing could be seen, nothing could be heard.

_What the? Where am I? _I thought I had... died. A number of possibilities had come to my mind as to where I was now. I looked down at my wrists and to my surprise there were no wounds or blood or any signs that I'd been previously hurt. I couldn't be alive, cuts don't heal that fast. Maybe I was in heaven?

I chuckled to myself at the thought. There was no way that was possible. Due to my career as a killer, I assumed I wouldn't be getting a spot 'up there'. But it didn't hurt to hope.

Ah, what was I talking about? Hope was such a trivial matter to worry about now. I did die. That's right, I had almost forgotten. Sting Eucliffe had killed me. Except, that was a much nicer way of putting things. Instead of just killing me and getting it over with, he _raped _me and slit my wrists until I practically bled to death. I felt my blood boil just thinking about him. The memories of my last few hours were replaying in my mind, and all I could feel was anger and vengefulness.

The first thing I would do, whenever I got the chance to get out of wherever the hell I was, would be to kill that damn bastard. I would show him what real dominance was. He would regret the day he ever dared to touch me like he did. Although, I guess you could say it was karma for all the murders I'd committed. The irony, huh.

The sound of a door opening interrupted my thoughts. _Wait_, a door? I didn't remember seeing a door anywhere when I woke up. Preparing for whatever or whoever I had to face, I quickly turned around. But to my surprise, it was just a woman walking towards me.

Standing in front of me was a tall woman with scarlet hair that flowed elegantly past her shoulders and down her backside. She was wearing a strapless satin, cream colored dress that hugged her tightly, which complimented her hourglass figure. I had to admit, I was actually taken aback by this woman. Something about the atmosphere around her spoke of grace and authority. She cleared her throat, getting my attention. She probably noticed me staring at her, oh god, how embarrassing.

"Hello there," she said calmly, her tone contained slight amusement. "You look alarmed. Don't worry, I won't bite," she smirked.

I didn't answer. I wasn't sure who this lady was, so I had to be cautious. Looking her straight in the eye, I took a step forward. I wasn't about to let this woman look down on me, even if I did find her sort of stunning.

She seemed to be even more amused with my actions. "I can reassure you. I am not here to harm you, Miss Heartfilia," she laughed, "Though, I wouldn't say the same for you. You look as if you're about ready to attack me."

"Well, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't thinking of a way to try and defend myself," I said. "Especially in a place like this against a stranger… who apparently knows my name." I raised my eyebrow.

She laughed again, "wow, a tough cookie I see! I wouldn't mind taking you on, if that is what you wish."

"Haha, that's enough, Erza. Don't try to start a fight with her, she just got here after all," said a voice coming up from behind the scarlet-haired woman. "She's probably just as stunned as you once were." Erza turned towards the other voice, of what seemed to belong to that of another female.

When the woman came into view, she smiled at me so vibrantly I was startled. She had long white hair with strands of silver in it, and she was wearing a dress similar to Erza's but instead it was maroon in color.

Erza nodded her head in agreement. "Heh, I know. I remember it all like it was yesterday. Just like her, I was scared. Yet, I was still able to hold my ground." She turned her head and looked at me sympathetically, as if she understood me. Ha, as if! Just a few minutes ago this woman was willing to take me on. But then again, she did know my name…

"Um, excuse me. Don't mean to interrupt anything, but exactly who are you people and how do you know my name?" I asked with a bit of annoyance. I wanted answers already.

"Yes, I suppose it is time for proper introductions. My name is Erza. Just Erza," she then gestured towards the white haired woman, "and this is Mirajane Strauss."

Mirajane took my hand, "Please, call me Mira. It's a pleasure to meet you. You're as stunning as the rumors say you are!"

Rumors? What the hell? How long had I been here for rumors to even circulate? Just _how much_ did these people actually know about me?

Erza coughed, "Mira, enough. We should probably bring her to the Masters now."

"Ah, you're right!" Mira clapped her hands in content, "Alright then, Miss Lucy. Follow me, please, and I'll answer any questions you have to the best of my abilities." She was definitely the way-too-friendly type.

I was led out of the room and into a hallway that seemed to go on forever. I followed them, carefully eyeing my surroundings as we went. Due to the silence between us three, I took the opportunity to speak up.

"So, Mira, tell me. Where exactly are we? How do you know my name? And who are these "Masters" you mentioned?"

She didn't look back, but lightly laughed instead. "We, Miss Lucy, are in Hell. Not much explaining there. People who ended up here didn't go to heaven, and I'm sure you know why. "

I muttered under my breath, "Figures.. So much for hoping for a spot above."

"Hm? What was that?"

"Ah, nothing."

Nodding, she went on, "And the Masters, well... You'll see for yourself. You're about to have your sentencing."

"Sentencing?" I repeated. That didn't sound too good. Wasn't that for when people were to decide somebody's... punishment?

"Yes, as a matter of fact you will be meeting the Masters now," Mira smiled again. Man, this chick smiled a lot.

We came to a stop. In front of us were two huge, gigantic double doors. On both doors was the engraving of a burning flame. It was so mysterious and intriguing, I couldn't help but wonder what lay beyond them.

"Right this way, Miss Heartfilia," Erza ushered me into a large room that almost looked like an entrance hall. Tall stone pillars that looked as if they could touch the sky encircled the room. Surrounding the pillars were flames that burned wildly throughout the room. My eyes flashed over to the center of the room where five tall platforms stood: two lower platforms, another two just a tad bit taller, and then the middle platform; which was the tallest of them all. Each had their own throne that seemed to have been carved out of the same stone used with the pillars.

On the lowest platform to the left sat a young man with black spikey hair and dark blue eyes. He was dressed in an all-black suit but with a blue tie. A woman with curly blue hair and azure eyes was perched directly on top of the man's lap, wearing an ice blue dress similar to Mira's and Erza's. She was staring passionately at the man as he kissed her shoulders hungrily and slowly unzipped her dress. You could tell where _that_ was going. But right here and right now, seriously?

Avoiding that scene, my eyes wandered over to the lowest platform on the right. There sat a tan man with long black hair which was pulled back into a ponytail. He wore the same black suit as the first guy, except it had a grey tie. I saw a petite woman in a matching grey dress straddling his lap. She had shoulder-length blue hair which was tied with a matching grey bandana. If you looked closely (not that I was trying to or anything), you could see her head was thrown back with an expression of pure bliss on her face as her dress was pulled down enough to expose her bare breasts to the man's mouth. I turned my head away in embarrassment. Hadn't these people ever heard of modesty?

When I averted my eyes, hoping to find some decency, I saw the man on the second tallest platform on the right staring directly at me. He had slicked back, spikey blonde hair and orange eyes. He wore a black suit just like the rest of the men but with a maroon colored tie. There was also a distinctive lightning-bolt shaped scar on his right eye, which I found to be quite odd. He looked amused at how flustered I was after witnessing the two scenes and he smirked when we made eye contact. Feeling a bit annoyed, I stepped back, only to bump into Mira.

"Watch yourself there, sweetie," she patted me on the back.

I bowed my head in an apology, "S-Sorry, I was just a bit disturbed by that blonde man over there. Why is he staring at me?"

"That blonde man? Oh, you mean Laxus! Haha, don't worry, he may look intimidating at first but he is actually a very sweet man," she smiled as she stared at him. I don't really know if "sweet" was the right word for the guy, but from the sound of her tone it seemed as if she was rather fond of him.

Mira made her way toward Laxus' throne and then it clicked. Ah, so that was the man she was involved with. I guess everyone here is aboard the intimate relationship train, huh?

The sound of a loud horn ringing grabbed my attention. Erza chuckled, "Ah, it seems he's finally arrived. That slow poke." She shook her head, "Everyone, straighten up!"

As soon as Erza gave her command, the atmosphere seemed to drastically change. The petite blue haired woman pulled her dress up and moved from being on top of the long black haired man's lap to sitting on the throne's arm. The woman with the curly blue hair zipped her dress back up but remained on the spikey black haired man's lap.

I wondered why everyone was so quick to fix themselves up. What did that horn mean? I still didn't know a damn thing about why I was here or why I had to meet these so-called "Masters". I sighed in frustration. I hated not being well aware of what was happening. After all, I was trained to know my surroundings like the back of my hand.

I looked over at the platforms to see two thrones were still vacant. I watched Erza walking to the second tallest platform on the left. It seemed all the women had a master they were paired with, but where was Erza's?

"Miss Heartfilia, if you would sit on that chair in the middle of the room, please," Erza instructed as she took her place on her own throne.

Doing as I was told, I walked over to the chair which seemed to be where people were judged. I sat there for about a minute before feeling self-conscious from noticing all of the eyes were on me. I sure as hell didn't feel so great about getting a sentencing in Hell and having the whole gang of masters staring at me didn't make me feel any better.

Suddenly, a gigantic flash of flames had appeared on the tallest platform that was once vacant, leaving me completely bewildered.

Once the flames dissipated, a tall and tan young man was standing by the throne. He wore a black tuxedo with a red tie which looked far more extravagant compared to the others. His spikey salmon colored hair was unkempt and his bangs fell carelessly over his dark onyx eyes. Like I said before, the opposite sex always pissed me off and it took a lot of me to just swoon over someone. I suppose _I did_ find his looks somewhat attractive, if anything.

As my eyes trailed up his figure, those dark onyx eyes caught mine in a fiery stare. I looked away reluctantly, refusing to show him that I was beginning to feel a little nervous. That seemed to disappoint him. I heard him sigh quite loudly and openly. The men and women on the other platforms stood up and bowed to him, as if he were their king. I stood there kinda dumbfounded and not really sure if I should bow or not, but it didn't matter because he quickly motioned for them to sit and took his place on his throne.

"Let the sentencing begin, shall we?" his voice was low and husky.

It was then I realized that I was in really deep shit.

_Just who the hell was this guy?_


	3. Intensify

**Author's Note: **GUYS, IT'S POSTED. IT'S FINALLY POSTED. It's been a month, and I'm _terribly _sorry! I swear, as the days went by I kept feeling guiltier and guiltier about not posting. After this, I'm going to try and update _at the very least _every other week. Sorry, it's just that school is killer and I literally have no time for anything else but homework, sleeping, and eating. So, to try and make up for it I planned something special in this chapter! Hope ya like it, enjoy the chap! ~

**Disclaimer: **I think I'll go to war with Hiro Mashima for rights on Fairy Tail one day. eSPECIALLY AFTER THAT SCENE WHERE HE-WHO-SHALL-NOT-BE-NAMED CRIED AFTER SEEING THE OTHER HE-WHO-SHALL-NOT-BE-NAMED.

(Thanks much to my beta, b-lushies! You guys don't even know how gross this writing would be without her skills.)

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_**Flames**_

_Chapter 3: Intensify_

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"Mira, if you will." The now deep and mesmerizing voice of the _him _rushed through my senses. I abruptly turned my attention to Mira, who stood up at his command. I assumed this guy must be the head macho here, and since I was in Hell, as I recall being told earlier, it made sense to assume he was probably the Devil. Oh boy, did I really fuck up this time.

"Today, we are here to determine the fate of this lost soul, Lucy Heartfilia," she began. "During her time among the living, Lucy followed the path of evil. Her crimes include countless murders, planned assassinations, and the seduction of men prior to killing them for the pay. She died on August 23rd, 2014 due to committing suicide by way of slitting her own wrists."

I cringed at the way she said those words. Murder, seducing, killing for money? Yeah, those were just _partially _true but they didn't even know the details! I didn't think what Sting said about making it look like a suicide would actually come back to bite me in the ass. I prayed people back at home were not as gullible as the people here.

"Masters, I now give you the floor to decide her fate." The Masters exchanged glances and seemed to silently discuss their opinions on the matter. I felt drips of sweat rolling down my temples. The atmosphere was felt intense and the suspense was eating me alive.

"Excuse me," I spoke up. I wasn't just about to let these bimbos think I was some kind of whore. Maybe giving the real explanation would _at the very least _land me in a less painful spot in Hell. "I don't mean to interrupt anything, Masters," the sarcasm was practically dripping off my voice, "but it seems you have mistaken the cause of my death.. and just about everything else."

The Devil turned his head towards and arched an eyebrow. He rested his chin on the palm of his hand.

"Oh, did we now?" he asked amusedly. "Then just how exactly do you think you died?"

"I don't think, _I know,_" I retorted in obvious annoyance. This guy was really starting to tick me off, and I'd just barely met him. "For starters, I didn't just 'murder countless people', I killed off those power hungry CEOs that ruined the lives of innocent people. I don't think of myself as some kind of hero, but I know there was some justice in that." He watched me with pure excitement in his eyes. I got the vibe that no one had probably ever told him off like that. I mean, what can I say? I had issues with authority. "Oh, and then my death. Yeah, so _not _a suicide. The man I was hired to kill that night killed me instead. He slit my wrists to make it look like I committed suicide." _I hope he goes to Hell too, _I added on in my head.

"Hm.. is that so?" He grinned. "well then, I guess we should put this into consideration, don't we, gentlemen?" He looked to either side of him waiting for an unanimous agreement. That weird telepathy communication began again. The Masters were glancing back and forth at me and I could tell they were astounded by the way I had acted towards the Devil himself. When it seemed they were finished, they all nodded their heads and turned to face me.

The Devil stood up. Flames began to surround him and he disappeared. Before I could even blink, the flames appeared on the main floor and there he was, right before my eyes. _Oh my god, what is he going to do to me now. _He started to gracefully stride towards me, stopping just until he was a few inches in front of me. I glanced up at him, craning my neck. God was he tall!

"Lucy."

I instantly cursed him. Why did he have to say my name like _that?_ There was a distinct feeling of lust coming from the way he said my name that just sent shivers up my spine. It was like venom coming off of his lips. "As the rules state, committing suicide lands you in the Seventh Circle of Hell. Though, because you claim you were murdered and spoke with such conviction, we shall show you mercy," he said.

"Master, you can't be serious!" exclaimed a voice. I looked up to see Erza getting up from her throne. She continued on, "Please be rational with your decisions."

I was surprised. _What exactly did showing me mercy mean?_

Laxus scoffed at Erza's warning, "When the hell did Salamander ever become rash with his decisions?"

"Laxus, I'm being serious." she narrowed her eyes at him. Mira whispered something in Laxus' ear and he rolled his eyes and looked away.

"Erza, _do not_ question my authority," he turned to face Erza and raised a hand to silence her. "I know what I am doing. But thank you, I am grateful for your concern." She sighed and nodded, sitting back on her throne.

He turned around and stared directly into my eyes, his gaze piercing through my soul. I hated what this man was doing to me. "You will have two options. You can spend an eternity working in the Seventh Circle of Hell, where the violent reside; or you can become _a mistress _of Hell, like Mira, Erza, Juvia, and Levy here." He gestured to the females next to the Masters.

I have to admit, the offer he gave me did sound.. intriguing. Well, it sounded better than spending the rest of my life suffering in hell, but did I really have a choice?

"Interesting. But do tell me; what exactly does becoming a mistress entail?" I asked, staring back at him intently. The silent stares between us continued and it was as if we were the only ones who knew what we were doing. I don't know how to quite explain it, but it felt _intensifying._

"You would become Salamander's companion. Attending to all his wishes and making sure he is pleasured in every way possible," Juvia answered for him. I held back a shudder of disgust. Was this really what I wanted? My choices were limited, and this was clearly the smarter option. So I did what I had to do.

I agreed.

"Alright," I casually replied. Might as well just wing it. I mean, I was already _dead _and I really didn't have anything to lose.

"Excellent," the Devil smiled. He turned to face the Masters' platforms and ushered forth Levy and Juvia. Mira, even though she hadn't been ushered, rushed to his side. Erza abruptly stood up from her throne and left without a word.

"I trust you will teach her what to expect and what to do to the best of your knowledge," he looked over his shoulder towards me. "Also, please show her to her room and get her changed. That sentencing dress just doesn't.. _flatter _her at all."

_Oh please_, I thought. I saw the way he kept his eyes on me during my sentencing. Almost like a prize he wanted to claim. If that didn't mean I was at least somewhat flattering, then I don't know what did. He was just trying to fluster me. But since I was soon going to be 'in his care', he would learn I would not fluster for him so easily. As if.

The women nodded at his request. He turned to face me, "I hope to see you at the feast tonight, Lucy," he took my hand into his palm and kissed it. I was about to blush but then I stopped, remembering what I just promised myself only a few moments ago. Without giving me a chance to respond he was gone in a flash of a flame. The Masters disappeared as well.

Once he was finally gone, I let out a long and exasperated sigh. Everything that happened was a lot to take in and it was nice to get a moment to myself.

"I see you what you did there, Miss Lucy," I heard Mira chuckling. _So much for a breather,_ I laughed to myself. The mistresses instantly encircled me and warm hugs ensued. When I was finally given some space, the short haired blunette was the first to speak up.

"I'm so glad our circle is finally completed!" she exclaimed, grabbing ahold of my hand and shaking it vigorously. I winced a little and she immediately released my hand. "Ah, sorry! I'm just so excited to finally meet you. My name is Levy McGarden." she smiled apologetically.

"You'll have to excuse Levy, she's always been the overly-bubbly type," said the girl with the long curly blue hair. "Allow me to properly introduce myself, I'm Juvia Lockser," she said. "It's nice to at last meet the long-awaited partner to Salamander, Miss Heartfilia." she bowed respectfully.

"Oh God, no need for formalities. Just refer to me as Lucy." I waved.

"I have to admit, when I heard Salamander was attending your sentencing, I was pretty surprised. He usually doesn't attend them unless he has a greater purpose in mind. But now I see why." Levy winked at me and found myself blushing at her hint.

Mira joined in, "I agree. I was just reading out loud the daily list of who was being sentenced and next thing I know, bam! He instantly announces he's going to attend." She nudged me.

"Do you guys have any clue as to why, though?" I inquired.

They all shook their heads, much to my dismay.

"I'm sure Salamander has good intentions, trust me." Levy gave me a smile of reassurance.

"Oh, that reminds me. Why do you all call the Devil, Salamander? Is that really his name?" I asked. I felt kind of silly for asking such a question, but really, 'Salamander'?

They all chuckled. "Well, you see his name is actually _Natsu Dragneel _but we were instructed to call him Salamander. I have no idea why, though." Levy shrugged.

"I see," I replied, disappointed. I knew such little about "Natsu" and here I was becoming his mistress. This frustrated me.

"Anyways, why don't we show you to your room, hm? Follow me!" Mira chimed in, sensing my distress. She ushered me forward and I followed her out of the grand entrance, but not into the hallway from which I first walked through. I started to notice that there were multiple hallways that led into the entrance, and I came from the second one. Now, we were making our way through the third.

"You'll be moving into Salamander's room," Mira explained. "So that he can have easier.. um, access to you."

I shivered at that last part.

"Don't worry, Salamander is a good man," Juvia interjected. Mira threw her a thankful look.

"That's good to know. But what about those.. er," I struggled to say it. I didn't want to give off the wrong impression that all I thought about was _that_. And things like sex were never really an awkward thing for me to talk about.. but after thinking about everyone's little _show_ back at the entrance hall, I couldn't help but ask. "_Other _activities?"

"Ah, well, if Salamander is anything like my dear Gray, then he will wait for you to get adjusted around here before he tries anything," Juvia smiled.

"Pfft, I could say the opposite for Gajeel. He didn't force himself on me, but the moment I accepted him, he was all over me!" Levy shook her head.

I assumed those were the names of the Masters they belonged to. Though, I doubted Salamander would be any more gentlemen-like with me judging by the way he acted towards me back at the sentencing.

"What about public displays?" I retorted with distaste evident in my voice. The images of when I first walked into the sentencing room replayed in my mind and I groaned. I was hoping I would never have to do something so inappropriate, at least not in front of everyone else.

"Ah.." Juvia and Levy's cheeks turned crimson pink. "That's more of.. our own preference. We can't really explain it, but just the feeling of being risky and being able to express love at the same time is so _exciting._" Levy exclaimed. They both threw me a desperate look as if trying to make me understand their point of view. I nodded in reassurance to let them know I did. I suppose being in love did weird things to you. Not that I would know.

"Here we are," Mira said as we stopped in front of a gigantic door. "This is Salamander's room and where you will be living from now on. I believe he personally choose a dress for you that's awaiting on the bed, along with shoes and other accessories. When you are ready, just step outside and snap your fingers and I will arrive to come and escort you to the feast." She waved and Juvia and Levy followed suit. I waved back and carefully opened the door to the room of the Devil.

_Holy crap,_ let me just tell you, my mouth had never dropped so low before. I was speechless. The Devil's room? Yeah, more like the Devil's own mini penthouse. It was covered in plush burgundy carpet and it had black walls with low-lit candles hanging along the walls. A large black couch was placed against the left wall and there was a mini wine bar against the other. I looked up and saw a sparkling crystal chandelier that hung from the black stoned ceiling. The whole room was glowing with luminescence. It was simply amazing.

I looked over to the kind size bed (which was also, in fact, very amazing) and laid my eyes upon the dress the Devil had 'chosen for me'. It was a beautiful red, satin mermaid dress that was close fitting from the torse all the way down to the lower calf where the skirt flared out. On the bed there were also diamond heart-shaped earrings and a diamond necklace to match. Even the matching silver-strapped high heels went with the outfit amazingly.

I was surprised at Salamander's good taste. I probably could never afford something like this back home. I went to go try on the outfit and then walked over to the mirror, observing my appearance.

"My, Lucy, you look ravishing," purred a voice from behind me. _Ugh, here we go again._

I turned around to meet Salamander's playful smirk. I swear to God, that smirk will be the end of me.

"If I wasn't a gentlemen, I would take you right here and now," he walked up to me until we were within a mere foot's proximity. I felt like I was going to melt at the little distance between us, but I wouldn't let him know that.

"Just stop with the sweet talk, Salamander, I don't break that easily," I sneered at him.

"Really?" he mused.

"Really."

"Then how about if I do this?" And with that he gently grabbed my chin and our lips met.

I thought I was prepared for him to make a move on me, but I definitely_ wasn't_. The intensity of the kiss most definitely took me by surprise. It was hard to explain. His lips felt warm and gentle, as if they were trying to explore as much as possible but with caution. I was getting enveloped in the kiss, and my mind was starting to melt.

But to my surprise, Salamander broke the kiss and released me. I gasped as I backed away from him, still trying to register what just happened. I was dumbfounded, not sure if I was disappointed or relieved.

He chuckled at his win. "I'll meet you at the feast. Until then." He disappeared within a flash of flames.

Damnit, it hadn't even been _a day_ and he already had me in the palm of his hands.

_I hate men._


	4. Sparks

**Author's Note:** Hi guys! Chapter 4 is FINALLY here! I'm just as excited as you guys. I hope you can forgive me for the long wait. I promise this story will be worth your while (or so I hope). Thank you for all your love and support, and _please leave a review_! I love to hear what you guys think about this story, and I always take into account what you have to say, whether it be negative or positive. Oh, and I apologize for the weird update notification yesterday! I wasn't aware that when I delete a chapter (the update I made), that it would notify you guys that the story is "updated". Sorry! So without further adieu, happy reading! ~

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Fairy Tail but Natsu owns me (you think I'm joking).

* * *

**_Flames_**

_Chapter 4: Sparks_

* * *

_What in the Hell was that?!_ A part of my brain began to scream at me as I stood there like a deer in headlights. So many thoughts were rushing through my mind as I brought my fingers to my lips. I had to admit, he was an excellent kisser. Even if our lips met only for a mere minute, it felt as if I was waiting a lifetime to receive a kiss like that. I could feel my head spinning with confusion.

Wait. Wasn't I supposed to be mad at this guy? Okay, _maybe_ he was a good kisser. And _maybe _he was extremely hot. But his ego was bigger than his head! Just who did he think he was? I mean, yeah, he was the Devil, but _seriously_? What gave him the right to just show up and kiss me? Natsu Dragneel would have another thing coming if he thought I'd fall head over heels for him just because of a kiss.

Mira's words repeated in my mind,_ "When you are ready, just step outside and snap your fingers and I will arrive to come escort you to the feast."_

Ah, right. The feast. I almost forgot. Damn that Salamander for making me lose my focus. I made my way to the door and peaked outside, hoping not to run into him again. Making sure the coast was clear, I stepped outside and snapped my fingers as instructed.

Nothing happened.

_Huh? _I tried snapping my fingers again.

No response.

Maybe Mira forgot? She did seem a bit scatterbrained. No offense to her, though.

My thoughts were interrupted by the same clacking sound of heels I heard when I first woke up in Hell. Thinking back, I remember it was the same sound of _that _woman_, _Erza. I groaned. From what I remember back at my sentencing, the scarlet haired woman did not like the sound of me joining the Mistresses. Although I had no idea _why _she opposed it so strongly, I would have preferred to stay out of her way for the time being.

Too late for that, I cursed myself as Erza came into view. She smiled and bowed, "Good evening, Miss Heartfilia."

I blinked in confusion. Was this the same person back at my sentencing that yelled at Salamander? "Good evening to you too, Erza." It was awkward for me to refer to her so informally when she didn't do the same. I thought back to my introductions with her earlier and wondered why she never mentioned her last name.

"Just call me Lucy, please."

"Very well," she nodded. "Now, if you will, I'll be escorting you to the feast." She ushered into the hall as we made our way towards the dinner. I followed her lead.

"What happened to Mira?" I asked with slight curiosity.

"Don't worry about her," Erza responded. "I told her I would be escorting you instead, so we could talk." she said without looking at me.

Talk? Talk about what? "Oh.. what seems to be the problem?" I asked innocently, hoping she wasn't angry at me. I don't see why she could any type of grudge against me. I didn't really have a choice to become a Mistress. It was either that or spend an eternity in Hell. Surely she understood that.

Keeping her pace, Erza turned to face towards me and smiled sincerely, "I wanted to apologize for my actions during your sentencing."

"Ah, that's okay.." I drifted off, not really sure what to say. Her eyes looked softly at me and it seemed like she truly felt sorry for the outburst, assuming it took offense to me. It sorta did.

She went on, "I do have a reason for my actions, don't get me wrong. I was just trying to look out for Natsu."

Look out for Natsu? What was that supposed to mean? It surprised me how she was for informal with referring to him, though it did seem like they were pretty close. I furrowed my eyebrows. A little bit of jealousy began to seep through. I didn't _want_ to feel jealous, but how could I not? Erza was clearly very beautiful and from what I could tell, she didn't seem to belong to a Master. It wouldn't surprise me if she didn't have a thing in the past with the Devil.

Erza stopped to fully face me and observe my features. She then chuckled, "Don't get the wrong idea, Lucy. Natsu is like a brother to me, I would do anything to protect him."

I nodded my head, trying to see her point of view. It didn't quite fit together, her words and actions, but I guess for now I should just accept her apology. I was probably going to be stuck here for the rest of my life, and being on bad terms with someone for the rest of my life didn't sound too appealing.

"Right, I get it. You're just trying to be responsible. You seem like that kind of woman. Let's just put it behind us, alright? It's not like you offended me or anything," I sighed. I was never really one to hold grudges anyway.

Erza embraced me in a hug, "Thank you, Lucy, I'm sure we'll become good friends." She let go of me and smiled.

Since this seemed to be the start of some sort of relationship with her I thought now would be a good time to speak my mind. "May I ask you something, Erza?"

She stopped for a moment and blinked, "Ah yes, what is it?"

"Forgive me if I'm intruding, but what exactly is your relations to Nat- er, I mean Salamander." I felt kind of _too_ forward asking her, but then again I was never really one for secrets either.

Erza chuckled and gave me a knowing smile, "That story can wait for another time. We have a feast to attend, remember?" She laughed softly, "And I hear there is excellent strawberry cake being served."

She must have a thing for strawberry cake. "Alright then," I laughed with her. After walking down a long and narrow hallway, we eventually came face to face with two gigantic double doors, similar to the ones that opened to the sentencing hall. Once again, Erza ushered me into the grand dining hall. I was greeted by all the Mistresses. It seemed Salamander and the rest of the Masters had yet to arrive.

Mira was the first to rush up and greet me. "Miss Lucy! You look absolutely stunning. Sorry about the inconvenience, Erza insisted on escorting you."

"No, don't worry about it, Mira," I bowed to show respect. I looked over and smiled at the rest of the women.

Levy waved and smiled, "Come and sit, Lu! Dinner has just been served!" I took note of the new nickname I had received and smiled back. She really did look like a sweet girl, it was hard to imagine how she ended up in Hell.

"Thank you, Levy," I said as I walked to the seat beside her.

I sat down and looked at the mouth watering platter in front of me. My stomach felt full just by looking at it!

"My, Lucy, your jaw looks like it's about to fall off!" Juvia commented and all the women laughed. I quickly closed my mouth and looked away in embarrassment.

"Ah, forgive me. It's just that I could never really afford these kind of luxuries back at home, so it's really rare for me to enjoy myself like this," I said with slight sadness. Even the dress I was wearing today was something I could _never _afford or even consider owning.

It was then I remembered home. Everything I left behind. My friends, my family, _my mother. _A wave of anxiety hit me as I realized what I was forced to leave behind. How could I forget about her hospital bills? Who was taking of her now?

But it was too late now, I became too careless and _that_ simple mistake had costed me my life, and possibly my mother's as well. My mind became clouded and I suddenly felt the weight of my actions falling heavily on my shoulders.

The Mistresses seemed to sense my dejection and they all became dead silent. "Oh, sorry Lucy, I didn't mean to bring anything up," Juvia quickly apologized and I saw the guilt in her eyes.

I shook my head and smiled at her sincerity, "No, Juvia, it's not your fault. I was just remembering my mother, that's all."

"Your mother?" Mira suddenly asked. Our eyes met and she looked down, realizing she was delving in a little too deep.

I shifted in my seat uncomfortably and smiled, "Sorry, I don't think it's something I feel quite comfortable talking about right now," I added on, "It's nothing personal, it's just something that hurts to remember."

"That is alright, Lu, take all the time you need," Levy said. Everyone stayed silent for a minute before Juvia spoke up. I silently thanked her, needing to get my mind off of mother for the moment. This was a feast in celebration of me becoming a Mistress, after all, and here I was dampening everyone's mood.

"Ah, Lucy, if you don't mind me asking, what's your opinion on Natsu so far?" Juvia asked, a smirk appearing on her face. All the women faced towards me, their eyes gleaming with avid interest.

"Er.. My opinion?" I responded in confusion. The question put me on the spot. There were literally no words to describe the way I felt. My feelings for him were mixed and scattered. It was either that, or I didn't really know _how _I felt just yet.

"Well, I mean, I just met the man. I suppose he's _okay,_" I wasn't just about to tell them how I sort of hated Salamander. After the first impression he left on me back in his room, I thought he was sort of an egotistical dick. Though, it didn't surprise me since I really hated most men.

"_Okay?_" Mira repeated and chuckled, "Sounds to me like there's something you're hiding." she snickered.

Oh, god.

"Oh? I knew it, Lu! Spill the beans!" Levy exclaimed, inching closer and closer to me.

Yup, I could tell nothing would ever stay quiet around here.

"W-what? What beans?" I played it off, trying not to give in to their prodding.

"_Oh for the love of Hell, _Lucy! What happened with Natsu!" Mira laughed. I sighed in frustration. If I didn't tell them something, I would never hear the end of it.

Just then I heard someone whistle, "Already having lovers' quarrel?"

The Mistresses and I looked up to see Gray and the rest of the Masters watching us with amusement. "Why, hello, ladies," Gray said. "I hope we weren't interrupting your meal?" He grinned cockily at us, and seeing the deep blush on Juvia's cheeks I understood why. We returned the smiles the three masters had bestowed upon us and let them join us for what was left of our dinners.

"Do tell. I'd love to hear how you and Salamander are already gettin' down to business." Laxus laughed a hearty laugh, until Mira punched him in the shoulder.

Mira spoke up, "You'll have to excuse Salamander. It's been a good four hundred years since he became the Devil. He is still used to the ways and practices of that time. The 1600s were a very different time."

That would probably explain why he acted like such an arrogant asshole.

"Yeah, yeah. Excuses, excuses! Really, though, what did you do to the boss? Kiss him?" Gajeel asked, taking Levy's hand in his. I smiled at the simple sign of affection and felt a small pang of wanting. Where did that come from? I couldn't help but muse, and decided I would figure out what was going on with me later.

Levy agreed, "Ooh, she kissed him. I get it now!"

I could already feel myself getting hotter and hotter from the embarrassment. I looked down at my plate, hoping to conceal my flushed face. "It was just a mere kiss, nothing else," I sighed.

The whole dining hall was filled with laughter and warm smiles as they endlessly teased me. The atmosphere was certainly different from what I first felt during my sentencing. Being here wasn't _so bad _as I thought it would be, at least for now it wasn't.

"I beg to differ, that kiss seemed pretty real to me." A voice echoed throughout the hall and those oh-so-familiar flames reappeared.

"Great," I sneered under my breath at his crude comment.

"Welcome, Salamander," the Masters and their Mistresses stood up to bow to the Devil.

He took his seat at the far center of our dining table. The Devil turned to face me and smirked, an eyebrow arched up.

"Lucy?" His voice deep and husky.

I shuddered. Once again, he said my name _like that. _I swore it was like venom coming off his lips, stinging every single time. I didn't know how and I certainly did not know why.

The Devil repeated himself, "Lucy."

I brought my attention back to reality and met his fiery stare. The Devil arrogantly smirked yet again. He knew what he was doing to me, this asshole.

"Yes, _Salamander?_" I smirked back at him, narrowing my eyes. No way in hell would him make me look like a child in front of everyone

He smiled (which I doubt was out of courtesy), "Oh, nothing really. I was just hoping my _lovely_ Mistress would sit next to me and enjoy the feast together."

Was trying to tell me he wanted me to sit by him? I looked at Levy with pleading eyes, hoping she would tell him she wanted me to stay by her side.

"Ah, Lu, don't worry about me! Go sit with him," she nudged me in his direction, clearly misreading the situation.

I whipped my head towards Salamander and strained a smile, taking the seat next to his. I tried to avoid his eyes and started to eat again, focused on keeping my cool.

Until, that is, he so discreetly grabbed my ass.

"You're despicable," I whispered in his ear, my teeth clenched.

"No, honey, I'm the Devil," he grinned widely. He looked so uncharacteristically goofy, and I found myself wondering how such a dangerous (and somewhat handsome) man could tease me and look at me with such a carefree expression.

* * *

After dinner came to an end, we finally adjourned to our rooms. And, of course, since I shared a room with the Devil, we ended up walking back together. Once we made it to our room, I sat on the bed and so did he, only to have me scoot further away from him. I didn't want to be anywhere near this man, especially on a bed.

Salamander noticed I was uncomfortable and spoke first, thus effectively ending the silence.

"Look about earlier," he began, "I want to apologize for my behavior."

I huffed, "Oh? You mean when you so explicitly kissed me without my permission? As I recall, a man is supposed to have the woman's consent when it comes to things like that." I could feel the venom was quite evident in my voice, but I didn't care. This guy needed to know he can't just go around doing whatever he pleases with me, even if I was his so-called "Mistress".

He cleared his throat and loosened his tie, "Yes, about that… that was uncalled for and I know it was a dick move. And I'm sorry. It has been four hundred years since I have last seen civilization, and it seems with the time passing so has the generation of women."

His pleading eyes met mine and for once I didn't see the arrogance that shone so brightly in them. I saw his sincerity, and I was quite surprised. Four hundred years was a _long_ time to be alone without a companion, and the moment he had found someone again he had almost lost her.

He waited for my response, still staring at me. "I understand," I said breaking the silence. "But, I still stand by my actions. I do not care much for being owned."

"Oh, _I know_," he chuckled at that last bit.

I couldn't help but smile. "What's _that_ supposed to mean?!"

"Woah now, steady there, woman. I meant no harm," he comically raised his hands in defeat. He then continued on, "Though I really want to stress how sorry I am, Lucy" he said. "I hope you can forgive me?" Those eyes pleaded with my heart once again and I knew I was a goner.

"Just as long as it doesn't happen again, Salamander."

"I swear to you that it won't," he smiled at me. "Now, I trust that you have had a very long day and are in need of a shower. So I shall leave it to you. I'll sleep in the next room that's connected to this one, so you won't have to worry." He took my hand and brought it to his lips. My face flushed and I tried to not show it.

He stood up from the bed. "Please, call me Natsu. Salamander is way too formal. I don't even know who came up with that stupid nickname."

I laughed and nodded, "Alright."

He paused and smiled. He seemed satisfied and grateful with my acceptance of his apology.

"Well then, goodnight, Luce."

I acknowledged his use of a nickname for me, but decided not to make a big deal about it.

"Goodnight, Natsu."

And with that, he disappeared in those familiar flash of a flames. I faltered backwards on the bed and held the hand that he kissed close to my heart. It was beating abnormally fast and I wasn't quite sure how to handle it. This was something new.. Oh no.

_I couldn't be falling for him, could I?_

* * *

_**Thanks to those who reviewed!**_

_**swallowmysoul - **_Thank you for waiting for me. I won't let you down! :)

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_**NaluLuva23 - **_I apologize! I explained this in my author's note. Sorry once again!

* * *

By the way, would you guys like sneak peaks of the next occurring chapters? I like to write two chapters ahead of what I post, so if you would like to see sneak peaks at the end of each chapter, let me know! I'll probably ask for some.. reviews... haha. We're all in this together right? B)


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